Hideyoshi (Suzuki Shuzoten)

Suzuki Shuzoten is one of the oldest continually operating sake houses in Japan, and one of Akita's most well known and respected breweries. Founded by Matsuemon Suzuki in 1689, the brewery has been run by the Suzuki family for 19 generations. The name Hideyoshi was given to the brewery by the local lord Satake. It is said that he tasted all of the sake in Akita and judged the sake of this brewery to be the very best. Excellence and goodness refer to the high quality of the brewery's product, while the combination of the two words form the name of the legendary feudal warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi. For over three centuries, Suzuki Shuzoten has strived to live up to the high standards set by the Hideyoshi name.

How has Suzuki Shuzoten been able to brew such premium generation after generation? The answer begins with the sake rice they use, which is almost always of higher quality and milling than is typical for the classification. This yields smoother sakes, with incredibly long finishes. Furthermore, the brewery is committed to using only local Akita sake rice, imparting the deep, rustic flavors to their sakes that make them so exceptionally food friendly. Add to that the skill and dedication of long-time toji Shigemasa Ishizawa, and you can see why Hideyoshi sake consistently finishes strongly at competitions.

The brewery has developed a reputation not only for producing at a high level, but also for making sakes that are truly unique. There can be no better example of this than the remarkable Flying Pegasus Daiginjo Koshu. Limited to a production of only 300 bottles a year, it is made using a blend of 3, 5 and 7 year aged sake, combining the unique attributes of each into an infinitely complex whole. With such high-quality and singular sakes, it is not wonder that Hideyoshi sake has been embraced by connoisseurs and novice sake drinkers alike.